Pipe elevator for use with split block



1968 w. M. MARKS ETAL 3,403,791

PIPE ELEVATOR FOR USE WITH SPLIT BLOCK Filed June '7. 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 l 20 2o 30 i W////0/77 M. Mark: V\,/ J Wayne A. Break/n INVENTORJ BY 5,,70" 5 ATTORNE YJ Oct. 1, 1968 w. M. MARKS ETAL 3,403,791

PIPE ELEVATOR FOR USE WITH SPLIT BLOCK Filed June 7", 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l W////a//7 M Marks @M ATTORNE Y5 Oct. 1, 1968 w.-M. MARKS ETAL 3,403,791

PIPE ELEVATOR FOR USE WITH SPLIT BLOCK Filed June 7. 1966 4 Shets-Sheet 5 W////am M. Mc7r%J Wayne L Brae/4H7 INVEVTQRJ BY AW gm ATTORNEYS Oct. 1, 1968 w. M. MARKS ETAL 3,403,791

PIPE ELEVATOR FOR USE WITH SPLIT BLOCK Filed June 7, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 W/ ///0//? M Mew/A25 Wa y/7e L Break n INVENTORS ii, 7 M 5 ATTORNE YJ United States Patent 3,403,791 PIPE ELEVATOR FOR USE WITH SPLIT BLOCK William M. Marks and Wayne L. Brackin, Beaumont,

Tex., assignors to Dresser Industries, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 7, 1966, Ser. No. 555,784 Claims. (Cl. 2142.5)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A well pipe elevator that includes a pair of pipe encircling members including surfaces thereon arranged to engage enlargements on the pipe to support the pipe, means hingedly connecting the pipe encircling members whereby they can be moved from a closed position supporting the pipe to an open position wherein they will not engage the enlargements on the pipe, pipe stabilizing means engageable with the pipe for limiting the lateral movement of the elevator relative to the pipe as the elevator is moved along the pipe by the split block and holding means operably connecting the pipe encircling members and the pipe stabilizing means to hold the stabilizing means in a position to keep the members from engaging the enlargements on the pipe as the elevator is moved along the pipe.

This invention relates generally to pipe elevators for a drilling rig and, in particular, to a pipe elevator for use with a traveling block having a longitudinally extending slot through which a pipe stand can extend while the block is moved vertically in the derrick of the drilling rig along the longitudinal axis of the well bore.

Traveling blocks, which can be so moved along a pipe stand, are generally referred to as split blocks. By using such a traveling block, along with transfer elevators to move the pipe to and from the pipe rack, much of the trip time spent waiting for the empty elevator to travel from one position in the derrick to another is eliminated. With such a system, there will be short periods of time during which the pipe stand being added to or removed from the pipe string is not supported by either the elevator supported by the traveling block or the transfer elevators. During this time, the pipe stand could fall laterally out of the slot in the block, unless prevented from doing so by the derrick man. To prevent this, an elevator of the type that encircles the pipe stand as it is moved along the stand is used so the mass of the elevator will resist lateral movement of the pipe stand. Thus, the elevator tends to add stability to the stand as it is being connected in or disconnected from the pipe string, while the empty elevator and the block are traveling vertically along the stand. For a complete discussion of this type pipe handling system see the Composite Catalog, 26th revision, 1964-65, vol. 2, pages 2672-2673.

A large percentage of the drilling rigs in operation today are not equipped with this type elevator. Most rigs use side-opening, center-latch elevators and/or side door elevators. Center-latch elevators are by far the most popular of the two for handling drill pipe and tubing. Neither type, however, when open, will confine the pipe and add the stability to the pipe stand that is obtained with the previously discussed type.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a pipe elevator of the side-opening type that can be employed with a split block and which will tend to add stability to the pipe stand, While it is being connected in or disconnected from the pipe string and the elevator is being moved along the stand.

It is another object of this invention to provide a pipe elevator that can be moved vertically along a pipe stand, when in the open position, and which will not hang up on the enlargements along the pipe stand, such as upsets, collars, or portions of tool joints.

It is another object of this invention to provide a pipe elevator that is operated like and has all the features of a side opening elevator, but which will encircle a pipe stand, when open, to add stability to the stand while the elevator is moving empty in the derrick from one position to another.

To allow the drilling rig operator to use the centerlatch elevators with which his rig is equipped when converting to the split block system of handling pipe, it is yet another object of this invention to provide apparatus for removably mounting on a conventional center-latch elevator to adapt the elevator for use with a split traveling block.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of this specification and attached drawings.

The invention will now be described in connection with the attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of the preferred embodiment of the elevator of this invention with the elevator in the closed position;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the elevator of FIG- UR'E 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the elevator of FIGURES 1 and 2 in the open position;

FIGURE 4 is a side view of the open elevator of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a partial front view of the elevator of FIGURES 1-4 modified for use with square shouldered ipe;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the elevator of FIG- URE 5 in the open position;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the elevator of FIG U-RES 1-4 modified in another manner for use with square shouldered pipe; and

FIGURE 8 is a partial side view of the elevator of FIGURE 7.

The elevator shown in the drawing is of the centerlatch type. It consists of a pair of pipe encircling members 10 and 11. The members have adjacent faces 12 and 13 that form a bore to receive the pipe (shown by dotted lines), when the pipe encircling members are brought together, i.e., when the elevator is closed around the pipe. Members 10 and 11 are hinged together at one end by hinge pin 14. This allows the members to pivot between closed and open positions. The open position is shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. In FIGURES l and 2, the elevator is closed. Latch means, generally indicated by the number 15, are provided to hold the elevator in the closed position.

This particular elevator is designed to support bottleneck pipe, that is, pipe having tool joints that taper at about 18 between the maximum OLD. of the tool joint and the CD. of the pipe to which it is attached. There fore, the upper portion of the bore formed by the adjacent faces 12 and 13, tapers upwardly to provide inclined surfaces 16 and 17 to engage the taper on the tool joint of the pipe and support the pipe when the elevator is closed.

The elevator is connected to the split block by elevator links or bails in the conventional manner. Bail lugs 18 and 19 are provided to engage the bails. Neither the bails nor the split block are shown in the drawings.

In operation, when pulling pipe out of the hole, the elevator is latched about the top joint below the tool joint as shown in FIGURE 1. The pipe string is elevated until a stand, comprising two or three joint of pipe, is pulled up into the derrick. The weight of the pipe string is transferred to the rotary table and the two pipe encircling members and 11 are unlatched allowing them to swing to the open position, as illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4. The split block and elevator then can start immediately their trip back to the floor, preparatory to pulling another stand by moving vertically along the stand. While making this trip the block and elevator by their inertia will stabilize the stand while it is being broken out of the string and the transfer elevators attached to move it to the pipe rack. The process is reversed when running the stands back into the well bore.

A conventional center-latch elevator, when open, will tip downwardly in the front. This is because the elevator is designed to hang in the horizontal position when closed, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, so that the pipe engaging surfaces will engage the tool joint squarely. Therefore, when open the pivot points, that is bail lugs 18 and 19 move laterally toward the back past the center of gravity of the elevator and it will tip downwardly in front. In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the elevator is designed so that in the open position it will hang horizontally in the elevator bails. This position is shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. This means that when closed they will tend to tip to the rear. To prevent this a strap or other convenient tie means (not shown) can be connected between handle 9 and the traveling block to hold the elevators horizontal when closed.

Means are provided for holding a pipe stand between the pipe encircling members when the elevator is open and to limit the lateral movement of the elevator relative to the pipe stand so the inertia of the elevator and the balls will stabilize the stand as the elevator is moved along the stand by the split block. Such means should have 5 an opening larger than the enlargements on the stand, such as upsets, collars, and tool joints, that it will have to pass on the way to the floor. Further, it should have an opening smaller than the opening between the adjacent faces on the pipe encircling members, when the elevator is open to prevent the members from engaging these enlargements. In the embodiment shown, pipe guide plate 20 is mounted on hinge pin 14 and located below the pipe encircling members. The plate has a bore 21 that is sized to meet the requirements set out above. The upper and lower ends of the bore are beveled to help guide the tool joints, etc., into and out of the bore.

Usually, as the elevator is moved along the pipe stand by the block, the derrick man will be attaching or removing the transfer elevator or simply holding the stand to help stabilize it from the top. In doing either, he will tend I to pull the stand toward him. This, in turn, will tend to pull the pipe stand toward the front of the elevator. Since for this reason, the front side of bore 21 is most frequently in engagement with the pipe stand, lateral slot 22 is provided in the plate and roller 23 is mounted laterally across the end of the slot. The roller is mounted for rotation on shaft 24 which extends horizontally so that the roller can roll along the surface of the pipe as the elevator moves vertically along the stand. Providing the roller reduces the frictional drag of the elevator on the pipe stand, roller shaft 24 is mounted on plate 20 by bolts 31 and 32.

Means are provided to hold the pipe stabilizing means just described to keep the plate encircling members from hanging up on the enlargements on the pipe stand as the elevator is moved along the pipe. In the embodiment shown, plate 20 is so positioned by laterally extending arcuate arms or horns 25 and 26. These arms are curved so their center of curvature is the longitudinal axis of pivot pin 14. In the embodiment shown the arms are integrally connected to roller shaft 24 and extend outward from opposite ends thereof.

Slidably mounted on arms 25 and 26, respectively, are L-shaped guide or positioning members 27 and 28'. One leg of each member is provided with an opening through which an arm can extend. The other leg is attached to one of the pipe encircling members. Thus, as pipe encircling members are moved between their open and closed positions, positioning members 27 and 28 will move along arms 25 and 26, respectively.

Means are provided to limit the travel of the positioning members on the arms. Mounting bolts 31 and 32 limit the distance they can move together. Stops 29 and 30* on the outer ends of arms 25 and 26, respectively, limit the distance the members can move apart. With this arrangement when the elevators are open, positioning members 27 and 28 will be in engagement with or adjacent outer stops 2.9 and 30 respectively, and plate 20 and roller 23 will be centered relative to the opening through the elevator so pipe will pass through the bore of the plate without hanging up on the pipe encircling members. When the elevator is closed, the positioning members will be in engagement with or adjacent bolts 31 and 32, and bore 21 of pipe guide plate 20 again will be centered, i.e., in vertical alignment with respect to the pipe receiving bore of the elevator.

There is less tendency for an elevator to hang up on bottleneck pipe joints, since both the pipe and the elevator have tapered surfaces. Therefore, with this type of elevator, a pipe guide arrangement, such as shown in FIG- URES 1-4 and located either on the bottom or the top of the elevator, usually, will be sufficient. Where square shoulder pipe being handled, however, there are square shoulders on both the elevator and the pipe, which can engage as the elevator is moved along the pipe stand. To help prevent this, additional guide means, such as pipe guide sleeve 40 in FIGURES 5 and 6, is pivotally mounted on hinge pin 14 and located on the opposite side of pipe encircling members 10 and 11 from guide plate 20. Bore 41 of the sleeve tapers outwardly in both directions from the middle of the sleeve to guide the pipe into the bore. The sleeve also is provided with lateral slot 42 to permit the pipe to move to the front of the elevator and engage roller 23.

Means are provided to hold the sleeve so its bore will be in vertical alignment with the opening through the elevator when the elevator is either open or closed. In the embodiment shown, guide plates 43 and 44 are mounted on the top of pipe encircling members 10 and 11, respectively, for movement therewith. Guide pins 45 and 46 are connected to opposite sides of the sleeve by welds 45a and 46a, respectively. Each pin is provided with bolt heads 45b and 46b. Guide plates 43 and 44 have guide slots 47 and 48, which are T-shaped in cross-section, to receive the bolt heads of the guide rods. These slots are arcuate, with the longitudinal axis of the hinge pin 14 their center of curvature. Thus, as the elevator is opened and closed, the bolt heads on the guide pins will slide in the guide slots. The length of the slots is such that the bolt heads will be at or near the outer end of the slots, when the elevator is closed, and at or near the other end, when the elevator is opened. In this way, the bore of sleeve 40 will be held in its proper position with respect to the opening between the pipe encircling members of the elevator, whether the elevator is opened or closed.

FIGURES 7 and 8 illustrate an alternate embodiment of a pipe guide, such as sleeve 40, for use when the elevator is to handle square shouldered pipe. In this embodiment, instead of a guide sleeve, a plurality of rollers 50 are mounted on ring 51. The ring is positioned on the top side of the elevator and mounted on hinge pin 14 by lug 52. The ring is not closed to allow the pipe to move toward the front of the elevator and engage roller 23 when the elevator is open. The same means as was employed above with sleeve 40 can be used to hold the ring and roller assembly in position to guide the pipe past the pipe encircling members of the elevator. In the embodiment shown, mounting lug 52 is held against rotation relative to the hinge pin by key 53. Then by holding lower guide plate 20 against rotation relative to the hinge pin by a key or other appropriate means, both the upper and lower pipe guides can be held in the proper position relative to the opening in the elevator by arms 25 and 26 and the apparatus associated therewith.

The embodiments shown in FIGURES 5-8, even though particularly designed for use with square shouldered pipe, are not so limited. Either embodiment can be used advantageously with bottleneck pipe.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus and structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed 1. A well pipe elevator for use with a split block that moves vertically relative to a pipe stand made up of two or more pipe joints connected together while the pipe stand is being connected to or disconnected from a pipe string, each pipe joint making up'the stand having an enlargement, such as an upset, collar, or a portion of a tool joint, adjacent its upper end, said elevator comprising a pair of pipe encircling members having substantially smooth adjacent faces cooperating, when the members are closed around the pipe, to form a pipe receiving bore, each of said members having a pipe engaging surface engageable with the enlargements adjacent the upper ends of the pipe joints to support the pipe, a pivot pin hingedly joining the members at one end for pivotal movement of the members about said pin from a closed, pipe support ing position to an open position, where the adjacent faces are spaced apart sufliciently to provide an opening that will pass the enlargements on the upper ends of the pipe joints to permit the elevator to move vertically past such enlargements, pipe stabilizing means engageable with the pipe for limiting the lateral movement of the elevator relative to the pipe stand when the elevator is open to stabilize the pipe stand as the elevator is moved along the stand by the split block and holding means operabl-y connecting said members and pipe stabilizing means, said holding means including cooperating arcuate guides and being connected with said pivot pin to hold said stabilizing means in a position to keep the members from engaging the enlargements on the pipe joints as the open elevator is moved along the pipe.

2. The pipe elevator of claim 1 in which the pipe stabilizing means comprises a pipe guide member having a tapered bore that increases in diameter in the direction of travel of the elevator along the pipe stand from a minimum opening large enough to pass the enlargements but small enough to keep the adjacent faces of the members and their pipe engaging surfaces from engaging the enlargements when the elevator is open.

3. The pipe elevator of claim 2 in which the pipe guide member is provided with a lateral slot through which the pipe stand can pass into and out of the tapered bore, said slot being located on the opposite side of the member from the pivotal connection of the pipe encircling members, a roller positioned to hold the pipe stand in the bore of the guide member, and means for mounting the roller for rotation around a horizontal axis to reduce the frictional drag of the elevator on the pipe stand when the elevator is being moved vertically therealong and the pipe stand is in engagement with the roller.

4. The pipe elevator of claim 1 in which the pipe stabilizing means comprises a plurality of rollers mounted to encircle the pipe stand and confine the lateral movement of the elevator relative to the pipe stand within an opening large enough to pass the enlargements but small enough to keep the adjacent faces of the members and their pipe engaging surfaces from engaging the enlargements when the elevator is open.

5. Apparatus for attaching to a center-latch pipe elevator to adapt the elevator for use with a split block that moves vertically relative to a pipe stand made up of two or more pipe joints connected together while the pipe stand is being connected to or disconnected from a pipe string, each pipe joint making up the stand having an enlargement, such as an upset, collar, or a portion of a tool joint, adjacent itsupper end, said elevator comprising a pair of pipe encircling members having adjacent faces cooperating, when the members are closed around the pipe, to form a pipe receiving bore at least a portion of which is smaller in diameter than the enlargements adjacent the upper ends of the pipe joints to provide pipe supporting surfaces to engage the enlargements and support the pipe, said apparatus comprising, a pipe guide member having an opening less than the opening through the elevator when open and greater than the enlargement on a pipe stand along which the elevator is moving vertically for limiting the laterial movement of the elevator relative to the pipe stand, when the elevator is open, to stabilize the pipe stand with the inertia associated with the elevator, means for mounting the pipe guide on the elevator for pivotal movement relative to the elevator around a vertical axis, and means for holding the pipe guide with its opening generally in vertical alignment with the opening through the elevator when the elevator is open.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the pipe guide member holding means comprises two arcuate guide grooves, each groove being located in one of the pipe encircling members, and a pair of guide arms each having one end fixed to the pipe guide member and the other end slidably engaging one of said guide grooves, said grooves having a length to cause the ends of the guide arms therein to be located at the adjacent ends of the grooves when the elevator is open with the pipe guide member positioned so its opening will guide the members over the pipe stand.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the pipe guide member holding means comprises, a pair of arcuate arms attached to the pipe guide member and extending laterally in opposite directions therefrom, each arm being curved along an are having the longitudinal aXis of the pivotal connection between the members as its center of curvature, a pair of positioning members, each attached to one of the pipe encircling members to move along one of said arms, and means for limiting the distance each positioning member can move along its associated arm whereby each member is at or near the end of its travel in one direction along its associated arm when the elevator is either closed or opened.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 which the pipe guide member is provided with a lateral slot through which the pipe stand can pass into and out of the bore of the pipe guide member, said slot being located on the opposite side of the member from the pivotal connection of the pipe encircling members, a roller positioned to hold the pipe stand in the bore of the guide member and means for mounting the roller for rotation around a horizontal axis to reduce the frictional drag of the elevator on the pipe stand when the elevator is being moved vertically therealong and the pipe stand is in engagement with the roller.

9. A well pipe elevator for use with a split block that moves vertically relative to a pipe stand made up of two or more pipe joints connected together while the pipe stand is being connected to or disconnected from a pipe string, each pipe joint making up a stand having an enlargement, such as an upset, collar, or a portion of a tool joint, adjacent its upper end, said elevator comprising a pair of pipe encircling members having adjacent faces cooperating, when the members are closed around the pipe, to form a pipe receiving bore at least a portion of which is smaller in diameter than the enlargements adjacent the upper ends of the pipe joints to provide pipe supporting surfaces to engage the enlargements and support the pipe, means pivotally connecting the members at one end for pivotal movement of the members from a closed, pipe supporting position to an open position, Where the adjacent faces are spaced apart sufiiciently to provide an opening that will pass the enlargements on the upper end of the pip joints to permit the elevator to move vertically past such enlargements, means for limiting the lateral movement of the elevator relative to the pipe stand when the elevator is open to stabilize the pipe stand as the elevator is moved along the stand by the split block, said pipe stabilizing means including a pipe guide member having a tapered bore that increases in diameter in the direction or travel of the elevator along the pipe stand from a minimum opening large enough to pass the enlargements but small enough to keep the adjacent faces of the members and their pipe engaging surfaces from engaging the enlargements When the elevator is open, and means for holding the pipe stabilizing means relative to the pipe encircling members to keep the members from engaging the enlargements on the pipe joints as the open elevator is moved along the pipe, said means for holding the pipe stabilizing means relative to the pipe encircling members including two arcuate guide grooves, each groove being located in one of the pipe encircling members, and a pair of guide arms having one end fixed to the pipe guide member and the other end slidably engaging one of said guide grooves, said grooves having a length to cause the ends of the guide arms therein to be located at the adjacent ends of the grooves when the elevator is open with the pipe guide member positioned so its opening will guide the members over the pipe stand.

10. A Well pipe elevator for use with a split block that moves vertically relative to a pipe stand made up of two or more pipe joints connected together While the pipe stand is being connected to or disconnected from a pipe string, each pipe joint making up a stand having an enlargement, such as an upset, collar, or a portion of a tool joint, adjacent its upper end, said elevator comprising a pair of pipe encircling members having adjacent faces cooperating, when the members are closed around the pipe, to form a pipe receiving bore at least a portion of Which is smaller in diameter than the enlargements adjacent the upper ends of the pipe joints to provide pipe supporting surfaces to engage the enlargements and support the pipe, means pivotally connecting the members at one end for pivotal movement of the members from a closed, pipe supporting position to an open position, where the adjacent faces are spaced apart sufiiciently to provide an opening that will pass the enlargements on the upper end of the pipe joints to permit the elevator to move vertically past such enlargements, means for limiting the lateral movement of the elevator relative to the pipe stand when the elevator is open to stabilizer the pipe stand as the elevator is moved along the stand by the split block, said pipe stabilizing means including a pipe guide member having a tapered bore that increases in diameter in the direction or travel of the elevator along the pipe stand from a minimum opening large enough to pass the enlargements but small enough to keep the adjacent faces of the members and their pipe engaging surfaces from engaging the enlargements when the elevator is open, and means for holding the pipe stabilizing means relative to the pipe encircling members to keep the members from engaging the enlargements on the pipe joints as the open elevator is moved along the pipe, said means for holding the pipe stabilizing means relative to the pipe encircling members includes a pair of arcuate arms attached to the pipe guide members and extending laterally in opposite directions therefrom, each arm being curved along an arc having a longitudinal axis of the pivotal connection between the members as its center of curvature, a pair of positioning members each attached to one of the pipe encircling members to move along one of said arms, and means for limiting the distance each positioning member can move along its associated arm whereby each member is at or near the end of its travel in one direction along its associated arm when the elevator is either closed or opened.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,295,439 2/1919 Coveney 294 1,552,062 9/1925 Krell. 2,792,947 5/1957 Weedman 214-3 ROBERT G. SHERIDAN, Primary Examiner.

F. E. WERNER, Assistant Examiner. 

